Fareed Anjum is the Primary Care Coalition's (PCC's) Director of Data and Informatics and has been with the organization for 15 years. He migrated from Pakistan in 2010, when he fell in love with and got engaged to the woman who is now his wife. They had been working together in Pakistan for two years, and she is originally from this area. When they decided to marry, Anjum left his family and friends and moved here but he still makes the approximately 22-hour trip to Pakistan every year to visit.
Anjum found his first job in the United States at the Primary Care Coalition, starting as Data Manager and moving up to Senior Data Manager and then Manager Health IT Systems before taking on his current role as a director.
"I love everything about computers, and my job is my hobby, too," said Anjum. "My job here at PCC gives me the opportunity to work in data and cyber security, coding, data management, and almost everything you can think about in terms of computers. I get all those different flavors every day. That's why I like this job."
“The challenges are actually the fun part, even though I do get frustrated at times and feel like pulling my hair out,” Anjum admitted with a laugh. “Solving the mysteries and seeing the results—that’s where the real satisfaction lies. Securing the IT environment takes a lot of effort, but it’s essential to enable the PCC team to do their amazing work. My job also provides opportunities to learn—keeping up with evolving security rules, regulations, and new requirements. Change is always one step ahead, and while keeping up can be tough, the chase is both demanding and exhilarating.”
Anjum is inspired by the knowledge that his work ultimately helps people get healthcare. "Regardless of what code I write, system I build, or computer software I install, all those seemingly unrelated things will help somebody get the healthcare they need."
His colleagues might be surprised to know that throughout his school years in Pakistan -- starting in primary school -- Anjum was famous for winning awards for reciting the Holy Quran. His mother encouraged and supported him, and he enjoyed the competitive process. His teachers worked with him on his presentations for the recitals, where participants were judged on their pronunciation, delivery, and clarity. Once he started winning awards, he felt pressure to keep winning from teachers, parents, and classmates. His top award was second place in the region, a tremendous honor in his homeland.
When he has time off from PCC, Anjum writes computer programs for fun. He also bought a dirt bike several years ago and travels three and a half hours to Pennsylvania most weekends to ride with a group on a single track in the woods. He also loves to play with engines and fixes things around the house. In March 2020, Anjum and his wife, Mariah Preston, agreed to help a neighbor by hosting a dog for a week while she was trying to find homes for a group of orphaned pets. Tess, a senior chocolate Lab, came for a visit and stayed. Anjum describes her as a "lovely, calm and easy-going dog."
"What I value most about my work at PCC is the people. We have the best people anywhere," said Anjum. "These are the nicest people who are always there to help each other, collaborate, and make things easier for others. That makes a huge difference in what we accomplish as an organization. I value my colleagues a lot."
Anjum learned from his elder brother that "If you decide to do something, do it in the best way possible." He has two daughters who are now 24 and 26. He has tried to impart that wisdom to them, and he uses it as a guiding philosophy in his work with PCC.
"We cannot do good work badly, so we have to do good work in the best possible way."
Anjum found his first job in the United States at the Primary Care Coalition, starting as Data Manager and moving up to Senior Data Manager and then Manager Health IT Systems before taking on his current role as a director.
"I love everything about computers, and my job is my hobby, too," said Anjum. "My job here at PCC gives me the opportunity to work in data and cyber security, coding, data management, and almost everything you can think about in terms of computers. I get all those different flavors every day. That's why I like this job."
“The challenges are actually the fun part, even though I do get frustrated at times and feel like pulling my hair out,” Anjum admitted with a laugh. “Solving the mysteries and seeing the results—that’s where the real satisfaction lies. Securing the IT environment takes a lot of effort, but it’s essential to enable the PCC team to do their amazing work. My job also provides opportunities to learn—keeping up with evolving security rules, regulations, and new requirements. Change is always one step ahead, and while keeping up can be tough, the chase is both demanding and exhilarating.”
Anjum is inspired by the knowledge that his work ultimately helps people get healthcare. "Regardless of what code I write, system I build, or computer software I install, all those seemingly unrelated things will help somebody get the healthcare they need."
His colleagues might be surprised to know that throughout his school years in Pakistan -- starting in primary school -- Anjum was famous for winning awards for reciting the Holy Quran. His mother encouraged and supported him, and he enjoyed the competitive process. His teachers worked with him on his presentations for the recitals, where participants were judged on their pronunciation, delivery, and clarity. Once he started winning awards, he felt pressure to keep winning from teachers, parents, and classmates. His top award was second place in the region, a tremendous honor in his homeland.
When he has time off from PCC, Anjum writes computer programs for fun. He also bought a dirt bike several years ago and travels three and a half hours to Pennsylvania most weekends to ride with a group on a single track in the woods. He also loves to play with engines and fixes things around the house. In March 2020, Anjum and his wife, Mariah Preston, agreed to help a neighbor by hosting a dog for a week while she was trying to find homes for a group of orphaned pets. Tess, a senior chocolate Lab, came for a visit and stayed. Anjum describes her as a "lovely, calm and easy-going dog."
"What I value most about my work at PCC is the people. We have the best people anywhere," said Anjum. "These are the nicest people who are always there to help each other, collaborate, and make things easier for others. That makes a huge difference in what we accomplish as an organization. I value my colleagues a lot."
Anjum learned from his elder brother that "If you decide to do something, do it in the best way possible." He has two daughters who are now 24 and 26. He has tried to impart that wisdom to them, and he uses it as a guiding philosophy in his work with PCC.
"We cannot do good work badly, so we have to do good work in the best possible way."
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